SUMMIT Study

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Lung cancer screening study using low dose CT to support the development of blood tests for early cancer detection

  • IRAS ID

    232691

  • Contact name

    Samuel Janes

  • Contact email

    s.janes@ucl.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University College London

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    12 years, 2 months, 31 days

  • Research summary

    Low dose CT (LDCT) scanning is currently the only cancer screening test established to reduce deaths from lung cancer. It is now recommended practice in the US and Canada, and being trialled in a few cities in the UK. The SUMMIT study has two main aims:\n(i) to examine the performance of LDCT screening delivery in North Central and North East London, to help inform the implementation of a future national screening programme, and \n(ii) to develop a novel blood test to detect cancer at an early stage, when it can be more successfully treated. The second aim is done in collaboration with a US company GRAIL, Inc. (who are developing the blood test; and are funding the study). \nParticipants’ experience and factors that affect screening uptake will also be examined.\nWe will recruit 25,000 current or former smokers at high risk of lung cancer via their GP records. They will attend one of four dedicated lung health check (LHC) clinics at baseline (Y0), then one and two years later (Y1 & Y2). At each visit they will have a LHC and an LDCT (except half the participants at Y1, who had a negative Y0 scan, will not have LDCT; to compare annual with biennial screening). Participants will also complete a questionnaire, have a blood sample taken and be offered smoking cessation referrals at all visits where appropriate.\n\nParticipants with abnormal LDCT results will either be referred to their local hospital for further tests or followed up more frequently within the study depending on the findings. Health data and outcomes will be obtained from participants (at their visits), hospital records and national health registries.\n\nThe blood test will be evaluated retrospectively (to be used with or without LDCT) and could revolutionise lung cancer screening and diagnosis.\n

  • REC name

    London - City & East Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    17/LO/2004

  • Date of REC Opinion

    21 Dec 2017

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion